


Still As Stone

by NervousAliceCurious



Category: Escape the Night (Web Series)
Genre: A Trade, A WILD RIDE, Barrel Demise, Betrayal, Captured, Chainsaw Men, Consent Issues, Cursed Town, Disgusting Tasks, F/F, F/M, Gen, Ghosts, Golden Queen, Golden Statues, Iron Maiden - Freeform, Lake Divers, Map Pieces, Marriage Trials, Merlin - Freeform, Monsters, Obelisks, Rescue Mission, Riches Everywhere, Sacrifices, The Barn, The Dream World, The Voting Begins, Tiny Pyramids, back from the dead, dream catcher, lost souls - Freeform, the black knight - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-10-26
Updated: 2020-05-19
Packaged: 2021-01-03 13:34:57
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death, Rape/Non-Con
Chapters: 25
Words: 11,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21180281
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NervousAliceCurious/pseuds/NervousAliceCurious
Summary: Save the Lost Souls. Save her Own Soul. Her stone-cold world is about to be flipped on its head.





	1. Right Into The Thick Of Things

**Author's Note:**

> Oof, I did it! So hello world, this is Skye-
> 
> Credit to Detro"Mongeau for the rp details.
> 
> Painter Baby is mine. <3

I was a bit surprised to get the letter.

-I’ve never met Wanda before in my life.

Or Vincent.

Now we’re in a jungle, and it’s a bit hot.

-Oh.

There’s a Sorceress lady here.

That’s cool.

Wanda’s spell opens a portal.

A town-

Lots of belly dancers following a Queen and some other lady.

We hid to avoid them.

Sneaking into a house, we can see mugs filled with dead souls.

Upon release they become…

Larger.

Real-

And very, very confused.

Then we got invaded.

I don’t know who we lost, we just had to run.

Run into a bar house.

I got a riddle:

_I feel my neck but not feet._

…I have no idea.

What item could’ve possibly fit that.

Then we got invaded 2.0.

I crowded into a corner under a flimsy table, Lydia joining me.

So they looked where we were, of course…

I had to really cram to fit inside that tiny space!

But we didn’t get found.

No sooner had they left than a box opened with the answer: Coins.

A bag that had to be hot-potatoed.

And more instructions.

Two obelisks to be gotten.

We have one already.

Lydia and Vincent keeop playing catch while the monsters attack us in the square.

-Our Sorceress friend was able to knock them all out, and we moved on right quick.

Find the word and chant it and surround it.

A: H

B: L

C: U

D: Y

E: Q

F: I

I looked in way too many barrels for my own good.

Sometime in-between, they woke up.

Most of the group sacrificed, and we lost Nekko and Vivian that way.

But a couple of us picked cover, including me.

Can’t save the world if we die first.

A new box and note:

_The DJ of the club was once an owner, but others betrayed him._

The first and only time I will ever go to a place like that.

It said to touch the coffin to let Lydia put the bag down, so I did.

Look, I didn’t get cursed.

***Summon the DJ. The death awaken, abolish the spell. Say 5x***

No explanation needed.

He rises from the dead-

We run away.

Cookies had tossed me the bag at one point, and I didn’t know if I should’ve put it down or not.

So I kept it until Wanda told me not to.

It thumps.

-And _here’s_ the Evil Laughter...

Mm-hm.


	2. Barn Hijinks

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> On to Part 1.
> 
> Warning: Death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Almost drowned in math homework this weekend, but here I am!! Please enjoy!!!

A box opens next to Hanzo, and I read the really long note:

_The Cursed Island was once a happy beach but now it is not. To open the portal to the modern world, you must find the 8 ripped map pieces in order to find the location of the Arkis Wand and open the soul of jars you currently have, but it's not that easy...8 lieutenants will be running after you._

Now it's time to split in half.

I go off to a big ‘ol barn with Vincent, Hanzo, and a couple others.

Our next note:

_Copy the writing of the notebook that was hidden inside a box, there are 50 boxes so start looking. The one who was the best writing will be safe from the death challenge._

_‘The death of the Dance will always be remembered in the neatest way possible’, you must make the sentence with hay._

It's easy.

I do it first.

I'm the one to become Immune.

Box #2 opens filled with weird, brown drinks:

_Drink the blend cow poop._

It tastes like fertilizer dipped in fried chicken and stuck in a blender, and it actually kind-of isn’t that bad.

Vincent nearly throws up, though…

_Find the lost puzzle pieces. 4_

I worms through a lot of hay bales for that.

I even climb up to the loft.

Pokd in corners where all the spider-webs lurk-

When we have them all, we put them together.

Box #3,

Note #3.

_’It’s time to vote. You must vote to find the ripped map’._

Well I didn’t need to worry this time.

Hanzo is kind-of aloof.

So I voted him.

Can you trust aloof people?

I guess we'll see.

It turned out to be:

Cookies the Spy & Tae the Dramatic B

Poor Cookies…

He said he’d gotten a lot of votes from the other path.

He's also kind-of nice to me.

Tae, however…

Isn’t. To anyone.

And who came back.

Poor Cookies.

X2.

We have our first map piece, but the icky voice promising to find us in our dreams is a big turn-off.

Whoever could they be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, we drank cow poop. No, I did not make that up.


	3. Land Of Light And Nightmares

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sleep is not gentle anymore.
> 
> Warning: Death.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi guys! Hope you're having a wonderful day!!

Can’t stay…awake…

Where...

Is this...a beautiful dream...?

The little floating doll’s head, Dreamcatcher changes everything into a nightmare.

And then the mummies

We run.

Someone finds a Bottle of Tears in a box.

Another found by Wanda with four slots.

-There's this Collector lady allied with us too.

I’d forgotten all about her because of all the sprinting we’d had to do for the past two hours.

She discovers a key, which is promptly snatched by Tae.

Alver with his torch locates the code-

5679

When it opens, there's a lump of sand, and a note:

_Perform a seance on Dreamcatcher's wicked cursed bed._

20 sec.

We panic and make a circle, and barely pull it off in time!

The arrival of a pedestal with two tennis balls locked in, and a thousand beds with weird ghosts lying in them.

Guess what Tae’s key goes to?

A second note:

_The gods of the ghosts are innocent. The Dreamcatcher turned them into cursed gods, but to stop it you must hit the targets around the island._

5 targets, take turns, I hit the last one.

Ghosts:_ Thank you! You saved us from our nightmares, but I need to tell you something.._

_If you want to get out, you must visit the dreamcatchers dungeon. You must find the Jackward statue._

Okay.

We sneak into Dreamcatcher’s lair surprisingly easily.

We hear her muttering:

"When's the golden Queen coming back? I need her to turn those people into GOLD".

No thanks.

I’m already a bleach-blonde.

They liked to decorate with golden statues.

A new clue:

_I love to paint, I don't give up, give me my painting and I'll glow._

46 paintings are displayed with them.

Convenient, yeah, but we have bigger problems.

The wrapping-paper men return, and they kidnap Tae!

Pretty much everybody ran to their rescue except for Lydia…

Whoops.

We had a 10 minute timer to free them from their chains.

5 boxes, 1 incorrect with 10 keys.

I must have unlocked three with no danger signs going off.

Neither did anyone else.

Until Vivian-

The last one, of course…

She gets her name put into the pile.

-But we do it, and manage to save them-

Lydia then appears with a key half.

-Caged.

It falls out of nowhere around us-!

Dreamcatcher.

Taunting-

We have to vote.

Again.

I choose Tae.

I could’ve picked literally anyone else, but even though I saved you, I knew them better.

I knew they wouldn’t turn on me-

Or would they?

Alver the Typewriter & Lydia the Housewife.

Alver I didn’t expect.

Lydia…

Tae had been saying that they’d wanted to kill her all along.

…

A while of waiting…

I lean on the bars, thinking.

I still had to finish my mural.

I want Lydia to come back.

I did feel badly for leaving her behind…

Her outfit was as pink as my paint.

A mummy is here?

Unlocking the cage door-

  
Coming right for us!!

We scurry to get out of their path as they rush for-

Tae the Dramatic B.

Punched in the throat-!

They didn’t get up again.

And both Alver and Lydia survive!?

Ah.

I **know.**

I always** did.**

A betrayal.

Dreamcatcher came screeching back, a sore loser.

Mummies in tow.

Alver stammers out an explanation…something about him winning and having to choose who's killed, and being strong-armed into it by the other party?

Now is not the time to worry!

…I legit don’t think anyone was that concerned.

We escape through the Portal as soon as it warps into being.

I re-awaken upon the floor, none the worse for wear.

So does everyone else.

Except Tae.

No matter what we do, they are unrousable.

Forever trapped in the dream.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halloween in three days!!!


	4. Warning: Armed And Dangerous

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Slashers exist here.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hoo boy.
> 
> Warning: Death.

I put in the map, and we were hit with the sound of chainsaws revving!

Many butcher men come crawling in, armed to the teeth with such things.

We hid, we hid, we **hid-**

We don’t get caught.

Our next location, back to the barn.

Huh.

Long time, no see, right?

…

There are a lot of wood axes, and outfits just lying around, along with a note:

_The butchermen are looking for the rare lavender wood, if you can find it you can trade it for the ripped map._

A box opens, but when we go to look inside, we are all nearly decapitated by more falling axes!

A second note:

_Start chopping on the town square. Chop barrels and boxes to find the glass bottles and place them in the house and arrange them._

More chainsaws-

I scramble into a barrel as the men return!!

…Again they don’t find us.

Geez.

When we enter the Square, axes in hand, it's like a truck of boxes had overturned somewhere.

We immediately start to chop like maniacs.

I find the first, Lydia gets the second, and Vincent earns the third and last.

Rushing into the house, we very quickly put them into their proper place-

An open container with a piece of birch wood.

And a note:

‘Place beneath my feet’, or something like that.

Fortunately enough, there's a statue nearby:

A second piece of wood-Jungle type.

Its note says:

_Keep me safe, I like a green place._

So we had to go to the beach?

Okay.

…

We were all kinda stupid.

Alver was the only one who figured out that it was the obvious palm tree.

The lavender wood falls slowly out of the sky, and is finally able to be collected.

Lydia picks it up-

But someone steals it from her.

A man-

Then he tripped.

The Sorceress runs after him, snatches the wood back, and stabs over and over until he's dead.

She has it in her hands, but I don’t think she likes the blood stains all that much.

Then the Butchermen arrived on cue.

Surrounding us…

They urge me to make the trade, my friends.

So I do.

Nothing happened.

I hold the map without a hitch.

…Well that was easier than I expected.

In the safe place, we stuck in this newest piece.

A new box with a new note:

_The butchermen betrayed you._

_They called the golden Queen from her rest, none of you will ever leave._

There's a general outcry, but that was more what I’d been predicting.

-She walks in.

Shining like a star-

With a finger-poke, Gianna the Drama Queen is swallowed up by golden veins until you couldn’t tell her apart from any of the Golden Statues we’d seen in Dreamcatcher’s lair.

-!?

But-

Why _her?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Gianna.


	5. All That Glitters Is Not Good For You

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Time to get married.
> 
> WARNING: Implied coerced consent after everyone leaves the kingdom. (At * to *).

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry Skye! Here's the chapter you've been asking for.

I didn’t understand…but she didn’t even do anything!

I just…

…

There was a new note.

It said that: ‘The golden Queen is ready to find a partner, doesn't matter the gender.. visit the wedding reception and find her throne and touch it and the hidden door will open’.

We headed straight there.

No time to mourn…

BANG-the Golden Queen was roaming, and soon she disappeared.

So we didn’t even need to hide…

Hanzo touched the throne, and the door opened. Money inside. Golden water fountain…pretty interesting…I guess.

If you’re into monetary stuff and the like.

We were told to take a seat, and then she locked the door.

Put something called a ‘Golden Spoon’, up for grabs…

When we were kinda…suspicious, she made us go to the town square.

Called us peasants, and rained precious jewels and more money everywhere.

Probably threatening to turn us into riches-

_Rule Number 1, I need to be respected at all times, NO QUESTIONS._

_Rule Number 2, don't talk bad about me!_

_And the last golden rule, DONT STEAL FROM ME._

_And if this is broken, I will show you what will happen if you break any of my rules!_

Cue Dreamcatcher.

I thought we’d left the floating head far behind…maybe not.

So we went back to the Lair.

_Task 1: Who can eat chicken properly and not DISGUSTING looking._ (My small bites won her over).

_Task 2: Who can cook the best for miss queen?_ (Toast, delicious salad no comment-Vincent’s dish did the job best).

_Task 3: Who can entertain the queen._ (Vivian’s sewing for money and my painted heart and stars were the final straw, even though I went last).

_Task 4: ((5 points)) Who can prove you like me._

That one…didn’t go well.

Lydia made an overture, which was fine…

Hanzo tried to give her a wallet, and she _that's_ when she flipped.

Took him hostage-

We all freaked out-!

Lydia proposed to save him (*).

Like…literally.

The Queen took her up on it.

Last we saw, she was being shoved onto a bed-

… (*)

Back at the Town Square, we had to vote again…

…

We all agreed to vote ourselves.

Actually…

And we would all have to watch as someone died.

Hanzo the Con Man Vs. Vivian the Engine Mechanic

I couldn’t figure it out!

How-

Why _them!?_

Well, probably Hanzo because of the Wallet Incident…but Vivian?

I didn’t understand.

She'd done so good...

They dove into a lake for pyramid pieces:

The first to stack one completely from the gold would then get to touch the queen.

In and out…

In and out…

In and out…

The waiting was getting very…my hands were white-knuckling, this was unlike me!

To feel so…

_Scared…_

Vivian.

Her note…said…

‘Your betrayal is not complete. You must order dreamcatcher to kill your friend to get the map or you die’.

The death in question?

Pushing Hanzo, still alive-

Into an Ir_on Maiden._

The _screams…_

I…

Co**vered my ears…**

**I still hear…them…**

**Can’t…**

**…**

**Lyd**ia was given the map.

They both left, the **evil** creatures-

But-

A new note.

Because she became the Bride she was able to choose someone to bring back.

From the **dead.**

We pleaded with her-

She chose whom we wanted!

Cookies!!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Halfway through...


	6. No Holy Grail

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Camelot is twisted.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Skye's misadventures continue...

I slid in the Map Piece while were waiting for them-

A Black knight appeared yelling something about approaching death and grabbed me!

I fought to get free, reaching for my friends!!

It was no use.

He threw me into a place called Britanna World-and there was Cookies!?

We hugged, finally reunited.

-Oh.

And apparently Merlin was chained up here too.

Our friends came speeding in shortly after, just in time for that nasty to come back!

He threatened him with a sword, he’d just returned no don’t-!!

Vivian spoke out against him, and got tied up!

Fortunately, he stalked off again…

Merlin freed himself with his magic, and we set up the drinks everyone else had apparently found while we were trapped.

Then we had to go touch a cross-

HE’s BACK, and HE KILLED NEKKO-slashed…he…

…He’s dead.

A cross lit up. _Holy one must touch_, and all that, but no one could decide who was the holiest!

So I did it.

I was sick of the indecision.

Cookies followed shortly afterward, and a note fell-

_Awakens the day abolish the stain, the spell da chain._

We had to chant it around the Hallowed sword itself.

The one the Black Knight had thought we would take-

Another note:

_Vote for the seeker of the dead._

The Sorceress pulled out cards…

Alver volunteered himself at the start.

And then Wanda the Telephone Operator?

But…_no._

She was the one who invited Vincent and I here, she was the one who’d told us that we needed to _save_ everyone, she-

She couldn’t _die..._

If she did…

Then what was it all for?

Waiting…

Alver.

Returned.

She didn’t.

I sat there, stunned…

They’d had to react quickly against the Black Knight.

And she’d lost.

…I…

_Merlin!?_

All covered in **blood…**

He…

He…!

…He’s dead.

And if _he’s_ dead…then the Black Knight must be, too…

Four…four deaths.

…Why…four…!?

When we arrived…at the House.

A mysterious woman with a portal...appeared...

-Huh?

She was coming up the steps-

We all just barely hid in time!!

I know that I felt like my crunched-up body would pop out from behind the chair at any second!

Oh crap.

The commentary on souls, the fact that she _knew_ we’d stolen her maps, she _knew_ we were_ there-!_

_This_ was the lady whom the place belonged to.

_This_ was the lady we needed to watch out for at all costs!

Alver put in the map.

Dogs barked?

The Sorceress called their owner...Cruella?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Four has to be a new record.


	7. Remember The Ones Who Have Passed

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While being hounded, a memorial scavenger hunt takes place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Electrical torture, death, threat of possession, fantasy violence. Animals are not safe.

No sooner had she said so than a whole pack of animals came shambling in-

They mauled the Collector to death, there was nothing we could do-

Cruella arrived.

With a motion of her hand, possessed the Sorceress for her own, while we were forced to hide.

Her taunts were weird.

Who the heck was the Spatula?

At least we could tell who the Soldier was supposed to be…

Poor Vincent…

She didn’t catch anyone, thankfully.

A box fell, with a bottle in it.

The note it came with said:

_Those who are possessed will be controlled by Cruella._

_If you get cursed your name will be in the pile._

_The bottle will collect and save the possessed souls._

We escaped into the Golden Lair, armed with this info, right when the Sorceress got there.

She spelled the entire room-

It was either cover your mouth, or die.

She left, thank God.

Lydia found a spell book…

_The first cursed soul is hidden in once a Alive member._

G I

Gianna the statue.

Lydia placed the bottle beneath her feet…

The soul whooshed out of the gold, and in through the top.

_The next soul lies where cow poop lays._

DD

Double death…

Merlin.

Lydia again placed the bottle beneath his feet.

Another whooshing.

The Sorceress came out, we ran-!

3: _Dream, Dream, Dream…_

On cue, the portal opened.

Alver and I both placed the bottle by Tae.

Lydia and Vincent both kinda-sorta fought for the new note, and she won.

4: _A Death is required and the person who dies will be the soul._

I voted myself.

Vincent the Soldier VS. me.

Um.

?

I liked Vincent, I didn’t see his end coming…

And then me.

I really didn’t.

…

Well…I would still fight for my life.

Anyway.

We had to choose partners, and he picked Alver.

I was going to go with Cookies, but they said no way-

I didn’t want to hurt them.

So I went with Lydia.

They were the ones tied-up?

They were the ones who got hurt instead!?

…But…

!

No…

I had to save her.

I had to.

Or she would _die._

Math equation trivia-I kicked the first two out of the park.

Alver freaked out, and began to struggle…

Then Vincent gained on me until we were tied.

Lydia begged me to win, and revealed that it was her.

_She’d_ been the one to put me in…

But-

(I thought it was my vote).

I knew we’d been friends…

It didn’t matter now!

I would still fight.

I would_ still fight!_

What…?

I had no idea.

What parenthesis in math meant.

Vincent _did._

Then we had to guess the still-elusive Detro’s favorite number…

He got that too.

He…

He’d…won…!

No!

The Sorceress blasted Lydia with magic until her screams silenced and she slumped over in her chair.

Dead.

…

Upon awakening, the Sorceress was set upon by dogs-

Blocking them, buying time for Vincent to rescue Alver.

With a well-aimed strike, both the Villainess from 101 Dalmatians and her bloody-teethed canines were no more.

Alarming us with the news that 5 AM was almost here, that sunrise had almost reached us-

We ran out of there at mach speed!

Alver slid in the map piece back at the house, causing a clock to open.

It contained a rainbow mask, and a note.

_Playtime has now started._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! It's been a while.


	8. Pastel Gore

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Rainbow slashers of death appear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Death, threats of death, self-deprecation.

Remember the Rainbow Mask?

Yeah.

A bunch more people showed up all of a sudden, and each and every one of them had the same…thing strapped over their faces.

_Playtime-_

No.

We ran out to the grass field, and found it swarming with creepy dolls and toys!

Just…lying there…

A note:

_ The Playtime kids are out of control!_

…Those were kids?

_You must venture into the big top and go through the mirror maze! In order to find the jack and the box._

Okay, good to know-

And here they came again!

Chased into the maze, Vincent shut the gates, and I slammed my hands against them afterwards for good measure!

But we could still hear them banging…

Five reflections at once…

Dizzying-

Another note, surprise, surprise:

_Left left right right up the ladder left left down down._

Then the Sorceress disappeared!

A code?

Was it?

Oh…

Well I’m stupid-

‘Left’ corridor, ‘right’ corridor-

They were the directions telling us how to get out!

We made our way to the exit-

Into a cage.

And the door slammed shut.

Yelled at by a crowd of those creepy critters, somebody called for a knife-

For the killing of a ‘black outfit girl’-

Oh no!

The Sorceress…

They’d managed to catch her too!

And-

They stabbed her-!!

But she wasn’t killed yet…

Just injured, thank the Lord!!

A box opened.

_To find the code to open the gate, those who had shut the gates must be in the challenge._

Oh-

That would mean-

Vincent and I…

But then it got swapped to volunteers-of which there were none, by the way-!

So we had to vote.

Only Alver volunteered!?

Why?

He’d just been saved…

I voted myself.

Vincent.

No-

_By the way, you can save the Sorceress if you ignore the challenge questions and answer the cure challenge. If you get it correct you will survive._

Of which they most likely meant, ‘all’.

Please…please get it right!!

While I was alone with Cookies, I felt their hope fade…

And mine too.

I didn’t want to believe it, but…

I’d failed Lydia…

I’d gotten captured and was utterly useless during the Double Death-

I couldn’t even figure out an easy Direction Puzzle.

I was…I was _useless-_

Why was I even here?

Wanda had brought me, and she was now dead.

Vincent had come with me, and he might be dead.

Everyone we’d worked so hard to save might now be _dead-_

Except for Cookies, and we still had one map piece left to find after this.

What did I even have waiting for me back home…

Nothing.

Vincent returned.

Without Alver…

They…must not have gotten it right…

Meaning…

She was dead as well.

The cage was unlocked.

And it was a broken party who headed to the House…

Vincent put in the map piece.

While we sat there, exhausted, Alver’s ghost blew in.

He threw a pillow at me, which I caught-

Would he ever forgive us?

Would I ever forgive myself?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Skye....


	9. Paying Out The Lion's Throat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Money troubles on the reserve might kill someone someday.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Wine mention, violence and death.

Lions-

Roaring from somewhere.

I didn’t have the strength to fear them like I should’ve.

The Sorceress had somehow survived whatever the Playtime children had done to her…but she was fading out, and fast!

Falling…

Before we could speak to her, a Hunter ran in.

Something about needing help with his lions?

He handed us all flashlights, but who could think about that when someone was _dying-_

I heaved her up onto my back and left.

Only to find out that she was dead.

…No…we were alone…now…

I felt my heart plummet.

But we didn’t have time-

We were led through the reserve.

Supposedly, he needed a favorite thing or else there was no way we’d be getting his piece of the map.

…Wish we’d known that before we asked.

The guy needed another to die in his place so that he wouldn’t lose his ‘precious’ immortality when the sun rose again.

I hated him already.

Forced to split up I got sent to the bar with Vincent.

A painting fell, revealing a vault and a code-

_The lion's money was kept in a vault. Give it to the hunter so she can pay her limits. Find the code underneath things._

…So we were going to have to ransack the place?

Vincent found a 7 under a bunch of rugs, a 4 under a shelf, and a 2 under a cabinet.

I got an 8 in the wardrobe…

That was it.

But when he tried to input the code, it turned out that we had one missing.

Oh-

He found the last 1 under a crack in the floor.

-This time, it worked.

No money though…just a note?

**ALERT: WARNING, VAULT OPENED.**

Crap-

Back at the house, we read:

_The money is missing, but to find it you must vote on 2._

And apparently Vivian the Engine Mechanic was in it already for having drunk something poisonous-wine.

Poor girl…

I ended up voting for myself.

5:25 Am.

Me.

Viv is scared, I’m scared.

We had to touch the lions for a minute or risk dying…

Not even twenty seconds in, and she’s roared at.

And **eaten.**

Alive…

-!!

Those-those sounds-

Screams interspersed with clawing and splitting…

Haahhh…!

I got the map piece but I can’t-

5:30 Am

I slid the map in with shaking fingers.

-A mysterious woman, the one that had been ghosting us this entire time, when we first arrived, and then again during the end of Hour Seven.

Opened the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Viv, and poor Skye.


	10. Challenges Of The Vault

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The last stretch is clear, and soon they'll be able to go home.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Toilet things, clowns, some violence. Death.

She unlocked the vault we’d lost too many lives for, and removed a crown.

Wore it…

Brought several nightmares to life:

The Golden Queen, Dreamcatcher, the Lions, Clowns, and Harpies.

We had to run-!!

In the Grass Field, I was almost cornered by clowns.

They wanted to taste me…

…

I was able to hide in time.

When they left, a box opened.

Our thousandth note:

_To escape you must find the crystal of Quania and the one wearing the crown will be weak. To find the vault, you must face 2 challenges. Not death challenges-_

Finally!

We wouldn’t have to see anyone die anymore.

5:31 A.M.

Our first challenge was at the beach-

There were Harpies, but they quickly disappeared.

A giant Tiki statue sat there.

With a note:

_The tiki man is ready to make a woman's outfit. If you can find 10 coconuts he will release the next task._

And so the hunt was on.

I found 1 right off the bat.

Cookies picked up 2 in the water.

Vincent found 3 in the sand.

-They came back, rushed me!!

Luckily, I’d climbed a tree at the time, sooo-

More of them.

They kidnapped Vincent!

In order to save him we had to touch Excalibur.

Or he would be dead in one minute.

5: 41 A.M.

After a short debate of whether to keep on keeping on or not, we ran into Britanna World.

Snuck around the terrifying scene of our poor friend tied-up and being threatened with a knife…

I sprinted for that sword with all the strength I had!

Got there a second before Cookies-

The monsters collapsed, knocked-out.

And Vincent was freed.

If he’d died…

I didn’t know what I would have done.

We all found the 4th coconut upon returning.

I found 5 and 6 in a tide pool…

Vincent climbed more trees than I did, and found 7.

Then he dug even deeper into the dirt for 8.

I found number 9 in a cave…

Vincent followed the crabs to 10.

A box opened-

It was time for our second Challenge.

In the barn.

_You must eat hay, and cow poop from 1983._

…So it was this song and dance again.

Cookies did it all.

I was impressed-

Then a vault opened.

We placed our hands on the crystal-

Loud screaming from the house!

She was on the ground.

The woman who had taken everything from us…

5:56 A.M.

We had to get to the Crown, but if we got close, we would almost certainly die.

So I used my shirt to hook it over.

(It was fine, I had something on underneath).

-Like we’d thought, she tried to stab me.

But Vincent was able to pull me away.

She told us not to wear it.

…I did.

We saw her die…

…

We’ll never know why she did it.

Using the crystal, I saw our friends’ souls escape from the jar.

_…Is that…Detro?_

I couldn’t help but smile.

Look. We did it…

_We did it, Wanda._

_We saved everyone._

5:57 AM

While the three of us group-hugged, the island began to shake-

It was time to get to the portal before we vanished into nothing!

Here we went-!!!!

…

Green foliage, hot and humid air.

I was back.

Back in the jungle…

With Vincent.

…Funny how it always came down to the two of us.

Following the path in front of our feet, we were transported to the Modern World.

To 2019…

Vincent and Cookies’ houses.

And the tiny one I’d been calling home for a while now…

A news flyer fell out of my door.

While me and my Rescuer Friend hugged, his leg gave out.

He’d hurt it during the journey sometime, and it’d been steadily getting worse from there-

We both fell.

So I didn’t get to read it until a good couple of minutes later:

_Fairytales is surely a fun way to party…_

We’d also been gifted new phones.

…Sweet, I guess.

While we celebrated, a woman named Della approached.

I didn’t know her, but-

She seemed to know Cookies?

She kept calling them Jason for some reason.

Then she mentioned heading off to a party…

Left.

I had a bad feeling.

I tried to stop her-

She was too fast.

…

_I hope she’ll be alright…_

In the meantime, Cookies asked for our phone numbers.

And then we took poor Vincent to the hospital.

Turns out, he’d managed to end up with a broken leg.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! They did it!!


	11. Pirate Dreams

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the ordeal of a lifetime, an innocent nap becomes something more...sinister.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Body parts, NSFW moment, death, threats of death. Eating.

Exhausted from the whole ordeal, I dragged myself to bed.

I couldn’t decide whether I wanted to sleep, or cry.

So many had died, almost for no reason.

And on top of that…

I’d failed Lydia.

I’d _failed_ her…

I pressed my hands to my eyes so I wouldn’t lose it in public.

I probably should have specified that my house was a boat.

…Because many hours later, I heard voices.

And when I went outside, I saw four people standing around.

One of them being _very_ unhappy.

She shut herself up in a cabin, leaving one of the guys to steer the ship alone.

…He actually did a pretty good job of avoiding all the rocks.

Meanwhile, the Captain tried his best to get her to come out.

…He got the door open.

Props for that.

I went in with the rest of them.

She was _not_ having it.

…

Anyway.

They seemed shocked when I told them about my dad.

I mean-my full name is Skye Sparrow.

Brought along to the Isla Cruces, I suppose the map must’ve said ‘A tale as old as time’, otherwise I forget where it came from.

Had no connection to the ‘Beauty and the Beast’, either.

In the forest was a ton of ruined buildings, but no people.

Until this random guy appeared:

Chris Jones.

Needed help.

Lost his treasure to other pirates.

Apparently couldn’t live without it.

…

Sketch.

But we needed the trade, so…

He said it was hidden underneath the seventh rock.

While he left on other business, we went to work trying to make sense of their inscriptions.

1- GGGGGGG

2-FFFFF

3- UUUU

4- UUIK

5- HHHHHHH

6- UHHJJJJAKS

7- JAISISNW

It wasn’t 6…

But I was wrong about 7.

It wasn’t 4, either.

We had one last shot-

3.

No.

…

Failed that…

We had no choice but to keep walking.

See if we could find this ‘treasure’ another way.

Pirates-!

We quickly hid.

What they said-

Jones had been corrupted.

Lost his heart to a Cursed God, making him immortal.

They were supposed to guard it in their hideout.

…I knew we couldn’t trust him.

But now how to get in there.

-Guess I’m distracting, then.

I went out there, and revealed my name.

Stupid, yeah.

Still worked.

…They had the bright idea to catch me for a bounty.

I tried to run, and was caught.

I tried to kick free-

Missed.

They tied me up, and hustled me into their cave.

-!

Lydia…?

Last time I’d seen her…

She’d…

I’d…!

I’d failed her…

Did she recognize me too?

…They left us there.

Waiting for a captain…

Luckily, the others untied us.

A weird pattern appeared on the walls-

A maze!

Done.

But hers was cleaner.

That did the trick.

The wall opened-

Screaming from the ship-

That girl!

She was in trouble-!!

We raced back as fast as we could, but it was too late-

She was gone.

…A note?

‘I know, you know the truth, lets do a trade now.

You will bring me the heart and I'll give you back your friend’.

So this was the business he’d had to go take care of!!

What could we do?

Get the heart, that’s what.

Into the hideout again, we went.

Inside were four large totems with a riddle for each.

We had to take turns:

Lydia first.

"I’m red but I’m not a strawberry

I’m a shape but I’m not a square

I’m part of your body but I’m not your mouth

I’m a suit in a deck of cards but I’m not a spade".

Answer: Blood, wrong, gums, wrong, ace, wrong, heart, RIGHT

60 Sec. countdown averted. 9 sec win.

Mango:

"Always in you, Sometimes on you;

If I surround you, I can kill you.

What am I?"

Water, right, 30 sec.

Me.

‘How do you make the number 7 an even number without addition, subtraction, multiplication or division?’

Drops e’s is no, remove s is NO.

Where did I even get that conclusion, who helped-

Lose to 20 sec.?

…

Someone up there took pity on me.

‘What's at least 6 inches long, goes in your mouth, and is more fun if it vibrates?’

…Don’t judge me-

Guess was male genitalia, was blatantly wrong.

Toothbrush, I picked second after the Powers That Be laughed themselves into next week.

I-

…

Nekko:

’I have a head at night, but Iose my head in the morning. What am I?’

Answer = pillow.

The Totems shone…

While I tried to recover from my own private embarrassment, a chest with a code was highlighted.

Another note fell from one of the mouths:

S-h-I-n-E

-Louder, more painful screaming-

We had to hurry!

Fortunately, I knew what this was:

Base 64.

A type of numeric code-

Oh.

Someone got it before me.

18-33-8-39-4

And it opened.

There was the Heart.

As we left, the pirates brought in reinforcements.

We were completely surrounded-

BOOM

A cannon shot!

They scattered-

DAD!?

Drunk again, but-

DAD!!?

…He was really here!!

Here to save us-

Hustling us into the Forest cover, he gave me a hug…

I…I didn’t know how to feel.

He’d been gone for most of my life.

Yet…

He still remembered me?

I mean, he still remembered me as ‘the baby I had’…

That hurt.

That my name, he didn’t know.

At least he was trying.

Jones.

To interrupt-

With his captive.

He knew my dad!?

Blaming him for the curse…

I didn’t understand!

No one else did, either.

The person with the heart got him to hand over the Pirate Girl first-Sarena.

_Sarena, Sarena, don’t forget-_

He ate it.

-

He ate it-

His eyes glowed green, and an emerald aura blazed.

Between that, and Sarena’s bleeding arm, we had a handful-

More voting.

What…

What?

I thought the whole voting-people-in-to-die nonsense was over-!!

…

Unlike when I was in that Other World, they were public about it.

Sarena voted Viv along with the Captain.

Lydia voted Mango, who’d been the Heart Carrier.

Mango voted her in turn…

I didn’t have to-

How-

I’d become the-

Helper.

Mango the Gunner was first-

Lydia the Wench was second.

No.

NO

_I’m going to lose her again-_

_I’m going to be unable to save her from this._

_Unless she survives…_

I hoped she survived.

She didn’t.

She didn’t!

I…

I couldn’t save her…

Again!!

With the map in hand, Mango and the rest of us were all set to leave-

The island began to shake.

We had to run for it-!

Once onto the boat, we saw it implode in a flash of green.

My dad-!?

Did he-

Please no…

_Please don’t let him die too!!_

No signs of life…

I felt the tears gathering behind my eyelids.

Wait-a tiny boat on the horizon!

My dad…

He _did_ make it after all!

Thank God…

Waving at me as he rowed off into the distance.

......As broken as I was over my lost friend...

(If it even really was her that whole time).

I was too relieved that my father was alive.

Even if…he’d be gone again…

Even if.

The map glowed as the new piece was added.

Eight present, possibly two left.

Looked like despite how much I _didn’t_ want to participate in this…

I was in it too deep to quit now.

And I’d only been awake for an hour.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A break cannot be gotten unfortunately...


	12. Night Terrors

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A pirate fantasy collapses . . .

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Paralysis. Threat of electrocution. Death, broken limbs. Betrayal, betrayal, betrayal.

One last piece to be found, huh?

I kind-of figured.

I took over the steering, and then…

I couldn’t move.

Something had locked up my limbs.

I couldn’t take my hands off-!

And we were driving right into a storm.

Vivian was being stolen away by the cyclone, and thunder!

I wanted to help her, but-

I was too slow.

_It’s Lydia all over again, no-!!_

-Someone got her.

I can breathe easy.

We touched down on Skypia Island.

_Kind-of figures considering my name, but-_

There was no real time for that.

Mango avoided a lightning strike, but she didn’t-

She passed out.

Just when I’d thought we were actually going to be able to rest.

Luckily, this Angel girl showed up.

Telling us to stay low or else someone named Eneru would smite ourselves, we were brought to her house…

She healed Vivian.

Phew.

At first, I wasn’t sure if we could trust her, but with this, I think it was safe to say that we could.

Eli, that was her name-

She told us about him.

Someone who could control lightning and was apparently the Cursed God’s son.

…I didn’t even know there_ was_ such a thing as a Cursed God.

Supposedly one of the Leading Three in the Greek Pantheon until he was bewitched by Cronos.

The way to destroy him was to_ kill twenty-eight people!?_

-And some artifacts, but still!!

_Twenty-eight!!!?_

This Cthulu…

-Wait.

Eighteen lives already-!?

What!?

How-

Nine last time, eight this time, plus the one for the island!!?

What the heck!!!!?

...While I was reeling from that, they brought up the relic-

Yeah, might not want to slip-up and tell her that it’ll destroy her home.

And of course, it was with him...

So we had a plan: Two distract him, the rest raid his temple.

Decided by vote.

They went with one in each for themselves, like I predicted…

Their pirate friend offered me a position as her crew mate when this was all over.

I told her I’d accept as soon as I stopped Della from making the same mistakes I had.

_That’s right, I’d done this before._

They were **shocked.**

-So how come Sarena Frost got three?

Liars…

They lied.

She was understandably **not** happy when I told them all.

Nekko tried to shush me, like he _could!_

He had the only other nomination.

Inside the Temple of Lightning, words swirled on the walls in strange script.

S-A-v-E-Me

D-E-M-i-G-o-D

G-o-A-w-A-y…

The last one was mine.

18-0-47-4-12-30

3-4-12-34-6-40-3

6-40-0-48-0-50

Pretty sure we’d gotten them correct-!?

The floor broke-!!?

I was falling-

I hit the ground hard.

Okay…

I was in a room.

With a riddle code upon the lock-

‘I have no feet, no hands, no wings, but I climb to the sky. What am I?’

A tower?

No…

A rainbow?

No…

Stairs!

It had to be stairs…

The lock glowed red…?

What…did that…mean?

I could hear talking from outside-

‘…get the relic and escape, or you get your friend’.

“Wh-“

“FRIEND!”

…Was I going to-

No!

They _were_ coming to save me-

Nvm

Sorry Skye

We need to get home...

What!?

Demonic laughter-

“Skye, I’m so sorry-“

_No-_

“Skye, we're so sorry, we love you!!!”

_Then help me!_

The room…it was shrinking!!

The walls, the ceiling…

I couldn’t stand up anymore-!

“What the-!?”

I dropped into a crouch-slow-

Trying to push them back, to kick the lock off, anything-!!

Crushing…me…!!

“H-how…”

They promised to keep my dad safe-

My bones…

Were breaking!

It hurt-

“N-no!!”

I couldn’t die-

I’d been through a whole ten hours of this before, darnit, I _**couldn’t** die now-_

…

Sooo much pain…

I was in sooo much pain-!!

_I survived last time...I can't die again...my friends! Sarena..._

**No.**

-

I awoke covered in sweat, body screaming-!!

“NO!!”

…

Huh?

I was in my bed.

In my house.

…

Just…just a dream…

I swallowed back the lump in my throat.

The one I’d been holding onto for nine hours straight.

Betray…

_Betray_ me…

You…

You **did.**

…Huh?

Someone…knocking at my door?

I opened it to reveal Della.

“Hey, Skye, you wanted to come with me?

I saw you had that flyer-“

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The only reason it didn't stick was because of the Final Arc.


	13. Party Of Fools

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An attempt to stop the inevitable....fails.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Death, some violence.

I ran after Della.

I tried to stop her-!!

_No, don’t drag me in with you-_

I lost her in the crowd as more people arrived.

Nobody seemed suspicious of this at all!

They snacked, they talked, they-

This woman named Debra introduced herself and welcomed us to her party.

-We couldn’t stay.

The lights flickered, and I _knew_ we couldn’t stay-!

I looked for Della-

There!

Bleeding…fell…

She’d greeted me a few seconds ago…

N-not this.

Not like…with _her-_

Beasts came flying out of the shadows, dealing out plenty more than she got.

We had to run-

Patrons were screaming, dying around us.

Only the eleven of us escaped…

Into a Magical Square.

Someone had let those monsters loose.

Somehow-

Gee.

A cursed writer who created a bunch of creatures, and we’re basically trapped in fairytales.

We need to find the books to capture them all-

Felt familiar.

…We went into her hideout, and were given a box with chess coordinates while she promised to warn us with a bell if they got close.

After some searching, we then got the board-well, Corgo did.

-Mikayla was briefly captured by beasts…

Because they and Luna knew so much about the game, they went for it.

-Had to hide midway…no one was lost this time.

Figured out the ‘X1’ bit with Alver’s help…

A new box.

And a note.

With banging.

_Here we go again…for the second time today._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And third time we go.


	14. Party Of Beasts

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An undercover operation is commenced.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: NSFW innuendo. Implied death. Getting hit on.

Cookies and Luna both went for it, and it ripped in half.

We could still read it, though…

_For hundreds of years, the Cursed Writer turned his fake believe creatures, but now they are alive._

_To escape The Night you must find the 10 books and trap the monsters._

_But the only way to get it is you must vote on 2 that must take an under dark death challenge._

-!

When I said ‘Here we go again’, I didn’t mean it literally!!

To make matters worse, Debra removed a curtain: A shelf with space for ten books, each with their own symbols.

Even the grim hope of a revival could not compare to knowing that only one of us would be getting out alive.

First up: The King beast.

We needed someone to go in and flirt so that we could find the Woodbury Bush to hopefully do something about him.

Luna volunteered, and was given fur to wear.

Good luck to her…

_Oh._

_We have to do it, too._

Upon entering the Treehouse, I saw her immediately get claimed by some furry guy named Vincent.

While the King presented his riddle of ‘I suck, and I taste good’, (DO NOT REPEAT YOUR EARLIER MISTAKE), she aced it with ‘lollipop’.

The Queen told her to choose anyone to die!?

N-not us, right!!?

Nope…

We got unmasked before then just as Alver found the bush.

…Time to…

Vote…

I put myself in.

From the Pleading, it was clear:

We had all done much.

Alver.

-Okay, that was a shock!

And…

No.

Cookies!!

Not my…not my Survival Friend…!!

They didn’t…come back…

…

I felt…

I feel…

**Gutted.**

Luna roused us onwards though…

The promise of a revival…

_Cookies…_

_I’ll save you somehow._

Alver slid in the book.

Hats spontaneously appeared, along with brooms.

Witches.

Oh, great-

Just what we needed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch...


	15. Playing With Magic

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Which witch is which unfortunately, won't save them.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Knives, death. Possession.

Yup.

And there were the witches.

They thought we stole their stuff.

So, they were gonna blast us, but Debra got in the way-

Witchita Square, huh?

Full of candles, and other magical lights to drown out the dark.

A book was at the center-

Something flew out of it:

_One of you must become a witch to find the second book. To make you smell like a witch you must make their spell._

Luna immediately volunteered.

I mean, it was her funeral-

Wait, Corgo’s got it-

Spell:

Candle Wax

Pure Water

Magic

Dark Magic

Cursed Water

_Awesome._

_Now we just need-_

_Debra’s what._

Cursed.

…

Luna found the pure water right off the bat somehow.

Timy stole the candle wax making from Reamae-

Dark Magic could only be taken from the Village.

Looked through this book for nothing…

Luna, Timy, and I.

It was alright…

The villager we met seemed happy enough.

-Hi Mikayla.

Where’ve you been.

They were offering us bread.

I didn’t know about this…

Debra accepted, however.

If it was a curse, then why the hey didn’t she learn.

Oh.

Now we’re being invited into the house for hot cocoa?

It wasn’t even that cold.

-Finally!

They wanted to know about magic.

_…What is this Pokémon?_

…life, dark, light, earth, undead…

I said dark and normal.

Normal wasn’t a thing.

And it was in the Witches Lair, too.

-Reamae rejoined us.

With the rest of the ingredients.

Kinda accidentally maybe left her behind there…

But good on her!

Midnight museum…we had to break in?

The self-defense system apparently had our guide stopping in the middle of the road.

Then Corgo tripped-

-Well, you didn't need to yell at us…we could be quiet on our own.

Lights that would kill you on sight.

Great.

_Now it’s just as dark here as outdoors._

The door was shut-

Debra opened another door.

To safety?

Well-

A control area.

_That’s fine._

A secret door.

To a vault.

Deja-vu.

Three keys to unlock.

Luna got the first one.

Reamae might have discovered the second-

Luna found 3 on a high shelf.

Gold, probably silver, and bronze.

The Dark Magic was now ours.

Only, the bottle opened in Luna’s hand.

Dark Magic floating out-

It possessed the Villager!

Turning on us, blocking us in-

We had to vote.

Two in, the Winner a witch.

Luna wanted to be in so bad-

But if this was a giant lie, somehow-

I didn’t want to be responsible for that.

So I put in Me.

Luna the Magical Fairy.

Why was I not surprised?

Reamae the Maid.

That one, I was.

Back to the Wichita Square.

I was so sick of this.

At least Luna gave us all one last hug goodbye…

Poor Corgo was sure that they deserved to be in.

_…I kind-of feel like it should’ve been me._

I found nothing-

But…

Why do you think I should stay?

Debra.

She was back?

!!!!!!!!!!!!

Luna…and Reamae…both.

Dead.

_I don’t even-_

_What the-_

_Not again!!_

_We went through this with Nekko, and Wanda, and-_

A portal?

…It was Vincent.

My…my other Survival friend…!!!!

I-

_Oh God._

_I have to tell him about Cookies._

_-I’m gonna hit my breaking point._

The Witches returned.

Spouting something about a sore loser…

Then they left!?!?

Came back with Luna crying, and Reamae-struggling!?

But-but we got told-!!?

They laid Reamae down…and stabbed her.

-Debra shouted for Luna to do something-

A spell.

That’s right.

She was the new Witch.

The Witches gave her the book?

Told her to hide it, and she did-

Then Debra made her open it!?

I was so confused!!

But…

It sucked the three Monsters in.

Back at the Hideout, I tried to ask for clarity-

Oh.

Betrayal or die.

This is exactly what happened with Tae.

Except Lydia managed to avoid that fate.

Until later-

6 hours left.

1 minute to midnight…

Luna put in the book.

She seemed more determined than ever now-

Gas!

** _Coming in-_ **

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ouch...double ouch...


	16. Army In Blue

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Little Mermaid becomes militarized. Unfortunately.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Guns, marriage trials, burying alive/betrayal. Death. Mentioned flash-backing.

I covered my nose and mouth-

This was what Dreamcatcher had done!

Corgo was ooing at someone…

The Cursed Writer.

Writing a new story to kill us all-

Tsunami World War?

The heck!?

Soldiers marching in-

Along with a blue woman.

They were not friends with her.

She killed a man with just a touch!

They ran, and called for us to follow-

Apparently, that first blue lady was not alone.

They said to shut the gates, so I did.

(Playtime children, NO-)

I could hear the other side trying to scale them.

Guards let us into their base…for a Wedding.

Say what.

The Golden Queen?

Only this time, they wanted boys.

They sat, and we stood.

The king wanted a Tsunami girl to kill their enemy.

Just my luck.

Task 1: Cook

I made my trademark toast.

With butter.

Compared to the other two, I was…not…great.

Chicken with trimmings and pasta…with trimmings.

Yeah.

The King preferred the beans-everyones’ favorite.

_I'm basic-_

And he loved pasta.

Oh, nice Mikayla-

Task 2: Who eats well?

The dish in question being pasta.

Luna went all out with twirling, and etiquette, and meanwhile I was here just trying not to make a mess-

Mikayla was me, with more poise.

Luna won.

Task 3: Who cleans well?

I took the dishes, and I turned on the faucet, poured soap on the sponge, and cleaned thoroughly, then rinsed.

Then dried with towel, and neatly stored.

Mikayla and I were pretty much on the same level, and Luna went the whole rodeo as always.

She even cleaned off the table.

So of course, Luna won again.

He proposed.

Slid the ring on…

And the Ladies appeared.

Demanding a death or a Lethal Touch for the rest of us.

From Luna.

Not this again-

She chose Timy the Playboy.

The women dragged in a coffin…

And grabbed him.

Aiming to throw him inside-

He broke free, and ran!

I reached out-

_Nononono-_

I didn’t want to do it!

But they made-

Me and Luna-

They buried him alive.

We got the book with the King and his Subjects begging to be locked away-

She opened it.

They swirled inside.

In the Hideout, I was** livid.**

I wanted to know!

_Who pushed me!?_

_Who made me do it-_

Because I wouldn’t have done it.

I **_wouldn’__t_** have.

12:45 A.M.

Luna placed the story…

A note.

And a coin.

_'Military 21 is ready for battle'._

Another army!?

So soon!!?

…

There was the image of a spider woman on the piece of currency.

_Seven books left, seven of us._

_We can’t all just die-_

Wait.

Debra found a coin slot-

Immediately saved it for later.

You-

What the-!?

_Shotguns!!?_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The misadventures continue-


	17. Sounds Of War

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Tsunami affair was just the beginning.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Guns, bombs, war, death, betrayal, of a sort, suicidal ideation, memories. Prejudice against Oregon.

_Put in the coin, put in the coin now-_

_Luna-!_

A new door.

Detro.

Viv….

_They’re back._

_They’re back even though…_

Detro was already dead, and Vivian died right in front of me…

And Luna knew them too!?

…Never mind.

More gunshots!!

Debra got a clue-

A note.

Of course.

Military 21.

Then she found a path.

_I still remember that Mirror Maze-!_

It could be a trap.

I still walked…

In we went.

We had a talking horse on our hands.

The Big Bad herself.

Now the building changed.

Now she’d disappeared.

**BEWARE OF DOGS.**

I had a bad feeling about that sign…

Plus the lights were going all strange.

Then the cavalry charged in.

Soldiers?

Not me…

-Debra, stop answering for us!!

Gates.

_Also_ had a bad experience with that.

Codema and Hallow.

Okay.

New staircase just randomly falling out of the sky.

**DIE OREGON VOLUNTEERS!**

Nice posters they’ve got here.

Now we have guns.

For a raid on that state.

_Because they’re annoying, and all their attempts apparently didn’t go well._

Opening doors.

We had robots.

We had helicopters…

We had killing machines.

And the dogs.

_-Guess we’re running…_

**Oregon Volunteers Base.**

Great.

Bombs-!!

How are we all not dead!?

Gunshots.

Robots stomping around-

_Excuse you, I’ll shut up Ms. Writer Lady, but I won’t be happy about it._

(About time this madness ended).

_Maybe if somebody told us the rules, we’d know what was going on!!_

Now we have to vote?

For what?

-She wanted to die?

…Nah.

I didn’t know…

She kinda just went quiet.

_I won’t vote for anyone anymore!_

Just me.

_I’m so done._

Joe the Wizard…

And Alver the Prince?

Why them?

I mean…

I knew Joe had been a bit of a ghost lately, but-

And Alver?

He’d done a lot to help too!

…Geez.

What was weird was that it seemed like everyone had either voted for themselves, or Alver.

So who did pick Joe?

…

Did Debra…?

Back in the Hideout, Luna had a theory:

That Miss Cursed Writer maybe could be saved?

That maybe she wasn’t so bad if we could do something like that?

Maybe?

…

I mean, the books probably could…

_-It’s Alver!!_

_…_

_While I'm glad that he's back…_

That meant Joe was dead.

…And we _still_ didn’t know who sent him in there to die.

He got a bomb dropped on him…

…!

Hnnnh….

_I think Debra killed him._

Someone put the book in.

Spider webs-!

A new note…

_'Get drunk all night but with a-'_

…

I hate you, I hate-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh crap. Next chapter is the one that cranks this up in rating.


	18. Poisonous Web

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A club full of spiders turns into a nest of nightmares, and they aren't the fantasy kind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Selling people, sexy, OMG, spiders. Mentioned death. Someone outright gets called a pervert. Peeping on sex for the artifact, which is coercive in nature and totally not okay. Double totally not okay. Nothing too explicit, but still bad. And then someone has a mental breakdown as a result.
> 
> Bold start and end.

Loud music.

_…I really hate you._

Detro and Viv were more enthusiastic than the rest of us.

Figured.

Roller-skating?

Seriously!?

I didn’t need to know that we started.

Poor Luna cannot skate…

Mikayla’s been nice to her though…

We promised not to vote her in.

And why would I!?

…Hey Mr. DJ.

You were dead last time.

**I hate it.**

I hate the concept of the sexy model because of what this place is-

Oh good.

A spider named Kayla.

_Definitely_ doesn’t nearly match someone’s in real life persona or anything…

Hmph.

Buy her?

(Stop winking at Corgo!!)

Oh my God-

_They’re actually considering it._

They did it.

They _did_ it…

Wait.

Kayla’s got Corgo!?

She kissed them.

And then they left.

…

What.

Debra wanted to be a Peeping Thomasina!!

_As if I didn’t have enough reason to dislike you already-_

_Don’t you dare._

_Lie about them dying._

‘Just kidding’, I HATE you.

I hate you.

VIP private bedroom.

No.

We will _not_ sneak under the blankets, you perverted-

They were in bed, her clothes were off, pretty sure he'd just lost his virginity-

This was Lydia and the Golden Queen.

**Again.**

Oh **God.**

They had to finish.

She was sleeping, apparently we get the book now.

In a locked case.

…Pretty sure this was coercive sex from her to Corgo.

Mr. DJ…

Go bug someone else.

Security called on us?

-The poor person saved us at the last minute.

**We were their cousins now.**

A note.

_‘To open the chest you must play Kayla’s game'._

No.

No.

No-

No!

No!!

NO!!!

Girls only.

**NO.**

_NO-_

_NO NO NO_

** _NONONONO-_ **

I had to pick me.

I couldn’t do that to anyone else—

No…

Nonono.

NO.

The other two would vote themselves.

Corgo didn’t want to-

The-okay.

…

Scared…

I am scared.

Mikayla the Fairytale Teller-

_Crap!!!_

Me.

…

_We’ll have to take the case._

F-fun…

Math.

Two easy, I got.

…

A long, impossible one-

Mikayla untricked it-

Two harder ones, I got them.

N-

N-o…!!!

-

She-

She let us-

Both…

L i v e.

9-8-2

Book-

Gone.

_I don’t want to do this anymore…_

No…

_I’m crying…_

_Stop it…_

_Stop it…._

In VIP…

_I don’t know what they’re saying…_

Arguing about something.

The book got put in…

Painting fell.

A torch and note.

_Don’t…wanna…do it…anymore…_

-SAE…from the other side?

TWO.

Two…dead.

Back…

ME.

I won.

_I choose-_

…

_What…do I do?_

…

_Cookies is coming._

_They are._

But…Reamae, or Joe?

Reamae will make Vincent happy…but Joe’s death was a set-up, I was sure!!

Except…if she returned Luna would most surely die…

…

Joe.

_I have to!_

He was murdered…

**I have to.**

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one. This is what caused the M rating. I am sorry. I am so sorry. Yes, this actually happened.


	19. Missed Concert

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In a haze of guilt, and fear, this is what happens.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Death, the living dead.

I don’t know.

_I don’t know!_

Mikayla the Fairytale Teller and Alver the Prince were in, and I was lost, but Joe and Cookies were back-

Alver….crushed.

By mummies…

What…did I miss…

_I…I don’t know how to be there._

So the book will have to be put in…

An opening clock.

Okay.

And a note:

_‘The Cursed Writer opened Ursula's Sea.. none of you will ever leave..’_

A good thing I can’t sing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really did miss this, and somehow, Skye lived (thank goodness), but I can't remember why or how or for what.


	20. Sing A Song Of Fear And Pain

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Little Mermaid comes back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Death, water and drowning, threats, blackmail.

Ursula was a Disney villain.

She stole voices.

…

No wonder people were so worried.

We had to swim there.

It was pretty…

Seaweed, and colorful fish, and the like…

_(I just want to get this over with)._

-?

Hello?

A mermaid in trouble!

Fabia…

But…

Did I know her?

She was trying to talk.

She couldn’t do it very well…

Something had happened to her voice.

There was a book in her cave.

Another trade.

We’d also need the Wand of Trees, something with all mermaids’ names carved into it.

-The map to get there in Ursula’s Home.

…

Oh boy.

Debra led the way, as usual.

She was singing at a pond, and just being a diva in general.

Then Joe said ‘hello’-

And she captured him with her tentacles!!

_Couldn’t save him, or he’d die-_

Thankfully, once she learned we wanted the map, he was let go.

But…

Sing?

All of us!?

…

Uh…

Crap.

_Now we can’t get out of it…_

She would crush the book!

Cookies belted out ’Señorita’.

Who knew they were a Shawn and Camila fan?

-She murdered Debra!

Right in front of us…

_B-boring!?_

How-!??

_S-sing awful…_

_Her body is just…floating..._

** _Sing awful, and we’ll all die._ **

Joe volunteered.

They chose Luna!

She looked so scared, though-

_I’ll do it, then!_

…

_Don’t you dare try to grab me._

_Nooo…_

_If you don’t want to do it, then don’t-_

…

Getting closer that stupid tentacle-

_I am **not** your blackmail!!_

She did it.

…

_I will be…okay…_

Safe.

YOU HAPPY, DETRO shall never be heard by me.

We had the map.

_Why do we still have to vote._

Couldn't even question, or someone will die.

Wh-huh!?

But I didn’t even vote-

Corgo the Scientist, crap!

Vincent the Raider-

No.

No-

Not him!

No!!

…

The Sorceress…

Is it the same-

We had the book…

But…

Corgo and Vincent?

We had to run-

As the water disappeared into nothing.

They’re

Dead

I couldn’t breathe

I couldn’t even think

It hit me like a truck!!

Corgo did an unthinkable thing for us, tried so hard…

Vincent…one of my survival partners…was gone…

The book got put in, I heard it, but I wasn’t paying attention anymore.

-Did someone say ‘pirate’!?

(Now I was-)

_Dad…_

Could that be you?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one wasn't even subtle.


	21. Pirates' Key

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This pirate adventure won't be like the last.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Death, betrayal, flash-back, the Iron Maiden.

7 books, 3 left to die.

The clock was open again.

-A gun.

And a note:

_‘The gun of the bay belongs to the pirate and the one who grabbed it is now a pirate’._

Cookies-

Nope.

The pirate captain I didn’t know.

Yeah, let’s run.

There was a pirate ship in the bay!

Seriously?

So quick-

We walked onboard to find Hanzo trapped!!

_-I can’t believe it._

It was really him…

(Screams echoing from an Iron Maiden).

A bag randomly falling.

Okay.

_‘Even the weight of the scales before the ship melts and disintegrate’._

No…

Another bag-

Cookies did one, and I ran around like a crazy person for the last two.

Hanzo was freed, and we received the book.

But…

Two have to walk a water path of betrayal.

Everyone wants to go.

And it was me who was selected.

We didn’t vote.

Me and Detro.

Riddles…

_Chomp and stomp, teeth_, mine.

Key.

_I have no tail, coin,_ Detro.

Key Two.

Unlock the doors…

Tiles with our friends’ names on them.

I knew it…

_-No, don’t make me!!_

_I don’t want to choose this!!!_

_It’s not even a choice._

_Our alliance…and Cookies as my survival partner._

_I…_

_I’m sorry Joe-!_

Detro smashed it.

By the time we returned, he was dead on the ground.

Stab wound in his heart…

_…I feel awful._

I didn’t want this...

I didn’t!!

I opened the book, and it all floated away.

Detro scared us good:

'What if we were only doing what the Cursed Writer wanted…'

I didn’t have time for that.

Back at the hideout, I put it in…

Two books left.

A table opened with a collar.

Cookies offered to wear it.

…Harley Quinn?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It just keeps going and going and going.


	22. Harley The Terrible

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> DC Comics is coming for us.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Death, betrayal, sexual abuse. Lightness of depression. Though not explicit, it's still there. Cannibalism, dead bodies. Bold at start and end.

-Not again!

The Sorceress down by bat!!

**…Why was Harley feeling her up?**

-!

_Oh that’s just disgusting-_

Cookies didn’t have to do things to her butt with his mouth if he didn’t want to!!

-Made him kiss.

_…That’s better than what she asked first-_

No!

Cookies don’t go-

…

The Sorceress had a note from the concert I missed.

_‘Harley has lost control but she can kill someone if she gets depression. To save your friend you must tie Harley Quinn up’._

We owned the rope.

We just needed to catch her alive.

She made him eat corpses, the poor guy!!

_-He’s her personal attack dog-_

**As he lunged, I tried to hold him-**

Punched my stomach, kicked my knees.

_But I won’t let go._

Luna tied her up in short order with a complicated looking knot.

She got depressed.

_Rush me, rush Luna-_

The Sorceress choked him-

_No!_

_No, don’t hurt him-!!_

She calmed.

We escaped into a room, where Cookies was able to be freed.

…Why were Luna’s and Mikayla’s faces floating everywhere!?

…

…A note?

_‘Those who are faced are up are in the challenge’._

-What?

Luna and Mikayla.

-Oh crud…

Our alliance!

My friends-

Luna came back.

Kill herself or kill Mikayla.

Didn’t want to.

Got scared…

Harley shut down her resistance with a timer.

That cruel **witch.**

I tried to talk her out of her funk back in the hideout.

I technically killed Joe so who’s she calling a murderer?

…

-Nn.

_Have to keep moving._

The book put in.

One life left, one more story-

Detro?

Why-

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Somehow this one managed to be worse.


	23. Escape From Here

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The End.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Death, peril.

Her warning.

Of the Cursed Writer-

A new tale now begins.

Luna’s ring glowed-

A door.

Lydia and Gianna!!

_They’re alive again-_

_I…I’m so happy…_

The Sorceress.

A golden statue.

No more!!

…Five SAE members in all.

We weren’t alone anymore.

A massive dragon outdoors-

Summoned to fight.

NO!

The Museum…

Where the first slaughtering happened…

I thought we were free of it!!

Clowns, Harpies, Werewolves, Ursula, Gangsters.

Hench-people I’d also known from before-

Well, most of them.

…She was _not_ going to take us!!

She was** not!!!**

The Sorceress.

Controlling the harpies…

Oh no.

She’d betrayed us!!

We had to run-

Task: Find the 2 oblesks that will release the last book.

Cookies found a chest, padlocked-

-728-7283-8274

-16 285.

…Luna was a boss.

16x285

4560.

I got it!

-We had Obelisk no. 1.

_I swim and die what am I?_

Luna with fish-

Done.

We needed a fish logo?

Luna again!

-And the book was ours!!

Surrounded-

Harpies.

Slashing them all to nothing!!

Cookies had it, Luna opened-

The Cursed Writer…or should I say dragon…

Was dead.

The world swirled back to normal-

The Sorceress flew away.

I guess she didn’t betray us after all.

…

Phew.

We were greeted by grateful villagers as the gates swung wide…

But we couldn’t stay.

One last addition to the bookshelf-

And everything was back to normal.

Time to go home.

Trekked back through the treehouse…

To a door.

Through there-

A helicopter.

With Nova!!

…Another friend back.

I…

Even if I had to face all of this pain…

This was worth it.

Three houses…

Take 2.

_…Finally,_ I could rest-

_We could** rest.**_

Now…

…

Della…

_I’m so sorry I failed you-!!_

Vincent…

_You should have survived the second night._

Mikayla…

…

Our alliance…

_I will **never **forget._

-Detro with a paper:

_‘Volunteer for the Staff at the school!’_

…

No-

No!!

Not-

Not a third time, _please-_

-I mean-

But I couldn’t talk her out of dragging us there.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, it's not over.


	24. Can't Hold The Sky(e)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> School defied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Self-deprecation.

Students and teachers alike streamed in and out of the Front Doors of a school…

They’d already gone inside.

. . . . . .

I walked in.

…

I didn’t have a Title yet. . .not that I’d done a particularly good job of sticking to the last ones.

_I don’t want anyone to die._

I knew they would-

Call it a gut feeling, but I knew it.

………….

So how come I wasn’t moving anywhere?

_I don’t want to be here._

Was I-?

Yeah….I was scared-

Exhausted, more like.

_When would people just stop coming to these things?_

I guess a nicer person wouldn’t have been thinking this kind of stuff.

…

A nicer person wouldn’t have backed out.

…..But I did.

And I started to walk down the road.

…..Instead of feeling guilty, I was relieved.

You could say I'd cracked.

If you wanted.

I probably wouldn't correct you.

I felt like this was better, though....

Better than the same-old endings.

I stretched-

_Maybe I'll regret it someday._

_.....No, I don't think I will._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what's the future gonna be like?


	25. Ending

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After the Aftermath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Cw: Implied death, implied regrets, some mental scarring.

You know I used to be stone cold?

(I brushed more paint onto the canvas).

That changed real fast when I started to make friends.

(It was red).

Of course, practically all of them were gone now….

(Was it worth it?)

I just should’ve never answered that letter.

(I should’ve painted it over with blue a long time ago).

…..No news from the school.

(It had been five months).

I wasn’t surprised in the least.

(But I won’t be forgetting a thing).

I won’t be doing it ever again.

…

_If you want to know why, just look at my art:_

_It tells the story from beginning to end._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Painter baby needs hug. <3 Thank you for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> : 3


End file.
